JOHN N GARDNER INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

JOHN N GARDNER INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION

EIN 26-0166817 · Single Organization Support (B11)

What they do

THE JOHN N. GARDNER INSTITUTE for EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION is A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED to PARTNERING WITH COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS, EDUCATORS, and OTHER ENTITIES to INCREASE INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY for IMPROVING OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH TEACHING, LEARNING, RETENTION, and COMPLETION. THE INSTITUTE SUPPORTS POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONS EFFORTS to ENSURE THAT EVERY LEARNER EARNS A CREDENTIAL THAT LEADS to A MEANINGFUL CAREER and A HIGHLY FULFILLING LIFE. THROUGH ITS WORK, THE INSTITUTE WILL ADVANCE HIGHER EDUCATIONS BROADER MISSION of EXPANDING OPPORTUNITY and SUCCESS for ALL STUDENTS.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $93.00 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders27 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

64.42%of revenue went to mission work93.0% of expenses · Program services

$69.24spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

4.82%of revenue went to management and office costs7.0% of expenses

$2.12in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

78.2%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $467,192 for ANDREW KOCH (CEO). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$8,732,992

Mission workProgram services$5,626,13564.42% of revenue93.0% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$420,7024.82% of revenue7.0% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations0.00% of revenue0.0% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$2,686,15530.76% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$6,046,83769.24% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 93.0% mission · 7.0% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 69.24% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 94.0% mission · 6.0% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 192.97% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 96.2% mission · 3.8% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 54.81% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 93.8% mission · 6.2% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 180.33% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 96.2% mission · 3.8% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 103.22% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 86.8% mission · 13.2% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 39.86% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 79.9% mission · 20.1% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.46% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 76.3% mission · 23.7% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 88.56% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$8,732,992

Expenses$6,046,837

Annual surplus $2,686,155 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$5,626,135 · 93.0% of expenses

Management and office costs$420,702 · 7.0% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$8,732,992

Expenses$6,046,837

Assets$12,849,353

Income$10,547,955

Contributions$6,831,186

Mission work (program services)$5,626,135

Management and general$420,702

Stocks and bonds$311,649

Accounting fees$42,104

Investing fees$3,255

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

ANDREW KOCHCEO · 40 hrs/week $467,192Base $414,852 · Other $52,340

JOHN GARDNEREXECUTIVE CHAIR · 40 hrs/week $406,821Base $375,390 · Other $31,431

BRENT DRAKESENIOR VP, OPERATIONS & RESEARCH · 40 hrs/week $338,846Base $296,373 · Other $42,473

ANGELA WHITESIDESENIOR VP, FINANCE · 40 hrs/week $231,541Base $203,000 · Other $28,541

FELITA WILLIAMSSENIOR VP, PROGRAMS · 40 hrs/week $217,670Base $203,050 · Other $14,620

STEPHANIE FOOTEVICE PRESIDENT · 40 hrs/week $194,154Base $158,086 · Other $36,068

BRANDON SMITHSENIOR ASSOCIATE VP · 40 hrs/week $186,368Base $150,943 · Other $35,425

JILL KRAMERVICE PRESIDENT · 30 hrs/week $173,789Base $139,914 · Other $33,875

ROBERT RODIERASSOCIATE VP · 40 hrs/week $168,793Base $140,553 · Other $28,240

MONICA FLIPPIN WYNNASSOCIATE VP · 40 hrs/week $158,943Base $148,994 · Other $9,949

MARY LOCKESR. DIR. MKT/COMM · 40 hrs/week $133,761Base $108,697 · Other $25,064

BETSY GRIFFINSR. RESIDENT FELLOW · 15 hrs/week $113,386Base $112,980 · Other $406

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (27)

ANDREW KOCHCEO

JOHN GARDNEREXECUTIVE CHAIR

BRENT DRAKESENIOR VP, OPERATIONS & RESEARCH

ANGELA WHITESIDESENIOR VP, FINANCE

FELITA WILLIAMSSENIOR VP, PROGRAMS

STEPHANIE FOOTEVICE PRESIDENT

BRANDON SMITHSENIOR ASSOCIATE VP

JILL KRAMERVICE PRESIDENT

ROBERT RODIERASSOCIATE VP

MONICA FLIPPIN WYNNASSOCIATE VP

MARY LOCKESR. DIR. MKT/COMM

BETSY GRIFFINSR. RESIDENT FELLOW

BETSY BAREFOOTDIRECTOR

SCOTT EVENBECKDIRECTOR

SUZANNE BENALLYDIRECTOR (AS OF 9/2024)

LOUIS ALBERTDIRECTOR

AARON THOMPSONDIRECTOR

WENDY AULTDIRECTOR

MICHAEL BENITEZDIRECTOR

LAURA RENDONDIRECTOR

JILLIAN KINZIEVICE CHAIR

JESSICA WILLIAMSDIRECTOR

ISIS ARTZE-VEGADIRECTOR

GERALD WHITTINGTONDIRECTOR (AS OF 9/2024)

FRANCESCA MAZZOLADIRECTOR (AS OF 9/2024)

ED CASEDIRECTOR (THRU 3/2025)

CHAOUKI ABDALLAHDIRECTOR (AS OF 9/2024)

About this charity

Recognized since: January 2007
Location: PO BOX 72, BREVARD, NC 28712-0072
County: Transylvania
In care of: % JOHN N GARDNER
Primary officer: ANDREW KOCH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailinfo@gardnerinstitute.org Phone(828) 394-3178 Officer phone(828) 449-8053

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: October 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: CHERRY BEKAERT ADVISORY LLC
NTEE classification: Single Organization Support (B11)
IRS tax category: Single Organization Support